Reversible rim drive mechanism

Abstract

A reversible mechanism including a driven member with a rim having drive surfaces on its opposite sides. An elongate driving member is flexibly engageable with either of these surfaces at a predetermined position. The mechanism is useful in conjunction with a manually operated motor for controlled winding or unwinding of strands or yarns. It is also adaptable for reversal of movement by providing an extremity or extremities on the rim which, upon movement to the predetermined position, allow the driving member to disengage from one surface of the rim and to engage the other surface.

I claim: 
     
       1. A drive mechanism having, in combination, a driven member having a rim defined by a pair of surfaces on opposite sides thereof,   means to support the driven member for movement in either of two opposite directions to cause the rim to move progressively through a predetermined position,   a rotary drive motor having a shaft and an elastic elongate drive member mounted on the shaft coaxially therewith, the drive member having a free end,   and means to support the drive motor in a location for interfering engagement between said free end of the drive member and one of said surfaces at said predetermined position, the drive member including means to bend resiliently and longitudinally from one of said sides to the other while said drive motor remains in said location to cause the drive member to make frictional engagement with either of said surfaces.   
     
     
       2. A drive mechanism according to claim 1, in which the driven member is rotatably mounted on an axis fixed in relation to said predetermined position. 
     
     
       3. A drive mechanism according to claim 2, in which the axes of the driven member and the shaft intersect at right angles. 
     
     
       4. A drive mechanism according to claim 1, including a manually operable switch for connecting power to the drive motor. 
     
     
       5. A drive mechanism according to claim 1, in which the driven member is rotatably mounted on an axis fixed in relation to said predetermined position and the rim is a partial plate-like annulus. 
     
     
       6. A drive mechanism having, in combination, a driven member having a rim defined by a pair of surfaces on opposite sides thereof,   means to support the driven member for movement in either of two opposite directions to cause the rim to move progressively through a predetermined position,   a rotary drive motor having a shaft and an elongate drive member mounted on the shaft coaxially therewith, the drive member having a free end,   and means to support the drive motor in a location for interfering engagement between said free end of the drive member and one of said surfaces at said predetermined position, the drive member including means to bend resiliently and longitudinally from one of said sides to the other while said drive motor remains in said location to cause the drive member to make frictional engagement with either of said surfaces, the rim having an extremity which, upon movement to said predetermined position, permits the drive member to disengage from either of said surfaces and to engage the other of said surfaces, whereby the movement of the driven member is reversed.   
     
     
       7. A drive mechanism according to claim 6, including means for resiliently urging said extremity toward the drive member to maintain frictional engagement therewith during its disengagement with either of said surfaces and reengagement with the other of said surfaces. 
     
     
       8. A drive mechanism according to claim 7, in which the last-mentioned means comprise a projection on the driven member and means in position for resilient engagement with the projection when said extremity reaches said predetermined position. 
     
     
       9. A drive mechanism having, in combination, a driven member having a rim defined by a pair of surfaces on opposite sides thereof,   means to support the driven member for rotation about an axis in either of two opposite directions to cause the rim to move progressively through a predetermined position, said axis being fixed in relation to said predetermined position, the driven member having provision to support a plurality of bodies of yarn in offset relation to said axis,   a rotary drive motor having a shaft and an elongate drive member mounted on the shaft coaxially therewith, the drive member having a free end,   a manually operable switch for connecting power to the drive motor,   and means to support the drive motor in a location for interfering engagement between said free end of the drive member and one of said surfaces at said predetermined position, the drive member including means to bend resiliently and longitudinally from one of said sides to the other while said drive motor remains in said location to cause the drive member to make frictional engagement with either of said surfaces.   
     
     
       10. A drive mechanism according to claim 9, in which the switch has a manual pressure-variable speed control.